The eight semi-finalists were determined by confidential balloting of the John Mackey Selection Committee. The 2009 John Mackey Award finalists will be announced on Monday, November 23, 2009 at www.johnmackeyaward.org. The website also features all Mackey Award related information including the John Mackey Selection Committee, the selection process and award criteria, information on all past award recipients and a high resolution image of the award trophy available for download.

Slate, a senior from Chipley, Fla., has 50 catches for 607 yards and four touchdowns this season. The standout is the top pass catching tight end in Marshall history with 199 career receptions for 2,619 yards and 23 receiving touchdowns.

The Nassau County Sports Commission, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization created to enhance quality of life of Nassau County residents through sports, is responsible for the administration of the John Mackey Award and the John Mackey Award Selection Committee.

The 2009 recipient of "The Mackey" will be announced at the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show live December 10, 2009 on ESPN and presented at the Nassau County Sports Commission "Salute to Champions" Awards Dinner. For additional information, please visit www.johnmackeyaward.org or www.nassausports.org.

The John Mackey Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game's predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information,
visit the association's official website, www.ncfaa.org.